GB2082450A

GB2082450A - A lifting-roller device for domestic appliances

Info

Publication number: GB2082450A
Application number: GB8122890A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Domar SA
Current assignee: Domar SA
Priority date: 1980-07-31
Filing date: 1981-07-24
Publication date: 1982-03-10
Also published as: FR2487792B1; ES252681U; IT1142600B; FR2487792A1; ES252681Y; GB2082450B; DE3130193C2; DE3130193A1; IT8148990A0

Abstract

A device for use in transporting a domestic appliance such as a washing machine comprises a pair of nesting U-shaped channel members, of which one (3) is adapted to be fixed to the underside of the appliance. and the other carries wheels (6) of which the axes are carried between lateral flanges (8) of the channel member, and project downwardly through slots (10) in the base (9) of the second channel member. Extensions of the wheel axles (7) pass through oblique slots (11) of the first channel member, and by means of a tension spring (25) the two channel members are biased into relative positions wherein the wheel axles (7) are retained at the upper ends of the slots (11) and out of contact with the floor. A lever member (14) pivotally mounted at one end of the first channel member (3) has a cam extension for engagement with an end of the second channel member, whereby pivotal movement of the lever (14) urges the two channel members longitudinally relatively to one another, whereby the axles (7) are pushed to the bottom ends of the oblique slots (11) and engage the floor to take the weight of the appliance. The appliance can then be moved on the wheels (6) until the lever (14) is returned to the idle position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A lifting-roller device for domestic appliances This invention refers to a device designed for fitting in to the lower part of the frame of a washing machine or similar domestic appliance to facilitate the moving of such an appliance when this is required, by rolling and to achieve this the said device is fitted with small wheels on fixed axles together with a mechanism which enables these wheels to be raised such that they are not in contact with the ground once the machine has been situated in its position of operation, where it will remain stationary.

The transfer from one position to another may be carried out by actioning the said mechanism by means of a lateral lever which in its position of rest, that is with wheels not in contact with the ground, abuts against the underside of the machine casing, thus being almost hidden.

It is obvious that the device could be applied to other types of electrical domestic equipment having a considerable volume and weight.

To enable the specification to be readily understood it is accompanied by drawings illustrating one embodiment of the device for lifting and folling washing machines, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, on the line I-I of Fig. 3, of a device in accordance with the invention with the wheels raised, Figure 2 shows the same device with the wheels resting on the floor.

Figure 3 is a plan view, corresponding to Fig. 1, and Figures 4 and 5 are cross sections on the planes IV-IV of Fig. 3 and V-V of Fig. 1, respectively.

The numbering of the components on the drawings corresponds to the number references below.

The body -1- of the washing machine had attached to its underside rectangular or simi larly shaped tongues -2- which have been formed from the side flanges -4- of a length of channel -3- having a rectangular cross profile and having in its upper member openings -5- which correspond to wheels -6attached to the extremities of the device.

These wheels are supported on axial shafts -7- which are held between the side flanges -8- of a second channel component having a rectangular cross profile but of a lesser dimension than the first, being located within the first channel and having its lower web -9provided with openings -10- corresponding to the wheels 6 which partially project through the said openings allowing them to make contact with the ground as shown in Fig. 2.

The side flanges -4- of the outer channel piece have therein oblique elongated slots -11- which permit the movement of the heads of the wheel axles -7- from the raised position of Fig. 1 to the dropped position in Fig. 2 according to whether the wheels are held in a withdrawn position so that the machine is immobilized, or in their position of operation for purpose of moving the machine.

The change from one to the other position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is made by means of a manually operated lever consisting of an elongated plate -14- having at one extremity a rectangular piece -15- fitted thereto, the said piece 1 5 having a rim -16-, and being situated under the horizontal edge of the underside of the base, as shown in the Fig. 1.

At the other extremity the lever -14- takes the form of a spade, widened with a curved edge -23- and a tooth shaped extension -24-, the lever articulating on the axis of a pivot -18- located on an extension -19- of the web member of the channel -3-. Washers -20-, -21- and -22- assist satisfactory rotating action of the operating lever whose effort is applied by its curved edge -23against a component -12- of synthetic material which is fitted abutting the extremity of the channel -9- a horizontal member 1 3 of the component having the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and acting as a stop defining the raised position of the wheels, in conjunction with the tooth shaped extension -24- of the lever.

Helical springs -25- are arranged with their extremities -26- and -27- respectively in holes formed in the horizontal web members -3- and -9- of the channels which constitute the device and provide the retracting force for the wheels.

1. A lifting roller device for a washing machine or like domestic appliance comprising a component formed into a rectangular cross section with its flange extremities formed with the object of being fixed to the underside of the body of the machine and at one extremity a derivation parallel to the web, the said component having inside it another of a similar shape but smaller and inverted with respect to the first and supporting between its flange walls transverse axles each carrying a wheel which can protrude partially through the web member by means of apertures made in the web corresponding to the wheel positions, in the said inner channel, other apertures, corresponding with the same wheels, in the web of the external channel allowing the partial passage of the wheels in their retracted position.

2. A lifting roller device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein there is provided a lever for

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A lifting-roller device for domestic appliances This invention refers to a device designed for fitting in to the lower part of the frame of a washing machine or similar domestic appliance to facilitate the moving of such an appliance when this is required, by rolling and to achieve this the said device is fitted with small wheels on fixed axles together with a mechanism which enables these wheels to be raised such that they are not in contact with the ground once the machine has been situated in its position of operation, where it will remain stationary. The transfer from one position to another may be carried out by actioning the said mechanism by means of a lateral lever which in its position of rest, that is with wheels not in contact with the ground, abuts against the underside of the machine casing, thus being almost hidden. It is obvious that the device could be applied to other types of electrical domestic equipment having a considerable volume and weight. To enable the specification to be readily understood it is accompanied by drawings illustrating one embodiment of the device for lifting and folling washing machines, in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, on the line I-I of Fig. 3, of a device in accordance with the invention with the wheels raised, Figure 2 shows the same device with the wheels resting on the floor. Figure 3 is a plan view, corresponding to Fig. 1, and Figures 4 and 5 are cross sections on the planes IV-IV of Fig. 3 and V-V of Fig. 1, respectively. The numbering of the components on the drawings corresponds to the number references below. The body -1- of the washing machine had attached to its underside rectangular or simi larly shaped tongues -2- which have been formed from the side flanges -4- of a length of channel -3- having a rectangular cross profile and having in its upper member openings -5- which correspond to wheels -6attached to the extremities of the device. These wheels are supported on axial shafts -7- which are held between the side flanges -8- of a second channel component having a rectangular cross profile but of a lesser dimension than the first, being located within the first channel and having its lower web -9provided with openings -10- corresponding to the wheels 6 which partially project through the said openings allowing them to make contact with the ground as shown in Fig. 2. The side flanges -4- of the outer channel piece have therein oblique elongated slots -11- which permit the movement of the heads of the wheel axles -7- from the raised position of Fig. 1 to the dropped position in Fig. 2 according to whether the wheels are held in a withdrawn position so that the machine is immobilized, or in their position of operation for purpose of moving the machine. The change from one to the other position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is made by means of a manually operated lever consisting of an elongated plate -14- having at one extremity a rectangular piece -15- fitted thereto, the said piece 1 5 having a rim -16-, and being situated under the horizontal edge of the underside of the base, as shown in the Fig. 1. At the other extremity the lever -14- takes the form of a spade, widened with a curved edge -23- and a tooth shaped extension -24-, the lever articulating on the axis of a pivot -18- located on an extension -19- of the web member of the channel -3-. Washers -20-, -21- and -22- assist satisfactory rotating action of the operating lever whose effort is applied by its curved edge -23against a component -12- of synthetic material which is fitted abutting the extremity of the channel -9- a horizontal member 1 3 of the component having the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and acting as a stop defining the raised position of the wheels, in conjunction with the tooth shaped extension -24- of the lever. Helical springs -25- are arranged with their extremities -26- and -27- respectively in holes formed in the horizontal web members -3- and -9- of the channels which constitute the device and provide the retracting force for the wheels. CLAIMS

2. A lifting roller device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein there is provided a lever for the manual operation of the mechanism which causes the transfer of the wheels from the retracted position to the functional position, the said lever consisting of an elongated plate the extremity of which has attached thereto a rectangular handle fitment in the form of a lateral edge section designed to be adjacent to one of the horizontal edges of the underside of the body of the machine in the retracted position while the other extremity of the lever develops to a special widened contour with a curved edge and a tooth shaped projection, the said lever articulating on a vertical spigot on the end extension of the external channel component.

3. A lifting roller device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein there is provided at the extremity of the lower channel component corresponding to the mechanism actuating device a rectangular part developing to a surface taking the thrust exerted by the curved edge of the operating lever and to an appendage making a right angle with this surface designed to abut against the lower face of the said lever when the mechanism is in its retracted position.

4. A lifting roller device as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein there is a helicoidal reactive spring fitted obliquely between the web members of the two channel components the ends of the said spring being secured in orifices provided in the said web members causing the retraction of the mechanism by raising the internal channel component.

5. A lifting roller device substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. The features as herein described, or their equivalents, in any novel selection.